Edmund Dick Taylor
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| Edmund Dick Taylor | |
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| "Father of the Greenback" | |
| U.S. Receiver of Public Moneys at Chicago |
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| In office 1835–1839 |
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| Preceded by | None |
| Succeeded by | Eli S. Prescott |
| Vice of the Illinois State Senate |
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| In office 1834–1835 |
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| Succeeded by | Job Fletcher |
| Member of the Illinois House of Representatives |
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| In office 1832–1834 1830–1832 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | October 18, 1804 Lunenburg, Virginia |
| Died | December 4, 1891 Chicago, Illinois |
| Resting place | Rosehill Cemetery, Chicago |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Margaret Taylor |
| Children | John Taylor, Charles Taylor, William W. Taylor, Elizabeth J. Taylor, Ella F. Taylor, Margaret Taylor, and others. |
| Occupation | Entrepreneur |
| Military service | |
| Service/branch | United States, Illinois Militia |
| Battles/wars | Black Hawk War Winnebago War |
Colonel Edmund Dick Taylor (October 18, 1804 - December 4, 1891) His birth name Edmund Richard Taylor, born in Lunenburg County, Virginia and died in Chicago, Illinois. In 1830 was elected to the Illinois State Legislature, representing Sangamon County. In 1832 re-elected and defeated Abraham Lincoln. He can justly boast of being the only man that ever defeated Mr. Lincoln in an election.[1] In 1834 he was elected to the Illinois Senate from Sangamon County.[2]
In 1835, he accepted the appointment by President Andrew Jackson to become Receiver of Public Moneys in Chicago, where he was in charge of substantial sales of federal land. After holding this position for four years, he returned to the private sector. He continued to play a leading role in Democratic Party politics in the state of Illinois.[3]
Table of Contents
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Early life
In the fall of 1823, he began general merchandising with Colonel John Taylor in Springfield, Illinois.
On the 28th day of September 1829, he married Margaret Taylor, she was born the 28th day of December 1813 in Kentucky, daughter of Col. John Taylor and Elizabeth (Burkhead) Taylor.[4]
Illinois Coal Mines
Edmund was a pioneer of the coal industry in Illinois, in 1823 he took an interest in coal and opened the West End Shaft.[5]
In 1856, he sunk a shaft in La Salle County, Illinois, with the name of Northern Illinois Coal and Iron Company.[6]
On the 18th day of February 1863, at a Convention in Chicago of the coal operators in Illinois, Edmund was appointed Chairman.[7]
Internal Improvements
Illinois and Michigan Canal
Taylor played an important role in Illinois's internal improvements successes. General Usher F. Linder stated "If any man deserves more credit than another for the completion of the Illinois and Michigan Canal, it is Col. Edmund D. Taylor".[8]
Railroads
January 16, 1836 the Galena and Chicago Union Railroad was incorporated; he was appointed commissioner and director.[9]
January 18, 1837 an Internal Improvement Meeting in Chicago was held at the Russell's Saloon. William H. Brown was called to the chair and William Stuart appointed Secretary, Francis Payton stated the objects of the meeting, a committee of five were appointed by William and namely: Edmund D. Taylor, Captain J. B. F. Russell, Francis Payton, John Harris Kinzie - John H. Kinzie, and Joseph N. Balestier. In favor of the immediate construction of the Illinois Central Railroad and general system of improvement.[10]
Chicago Merchants' Exchange
On the 5th day of February 1857, the Chicago Merchants' Exchange company was incorporated by: Edmund D. Taylor, Thomas Hall, George Armour, James Peck, John P. Chapin, Walter S. Gurnee, Edward Kendall Rogers, Thomas Richmond, Julian Sidney Rumsey, Samuel B. Pomeroy, Elisha Wadsworth, Walter Loomis Newberry, Hiram Wheeler and George Steele.[11]
Father of the Greenback
(Documented by the 50th United States Congress)
In 1861, Edmund mentioned his idea for greenbacks at General Grants Headquarters.
January 16, 1862, at a request by President Abraham Lincoln for a private meeting with Edmund, he suggested the issuance of treasury notes bearing no interest and printed on the best banking paper. A signed letter dated December 16, 1864 by the President, named Col. Edmund D. Taylor the "father of the greenback".[12] [13]
February 10, 1888, 50th Congress, 1st session, House of Representatives Report No. 380, ordered printed: Mr. Lawler also known as Frank Lawler's report from War Claims to the 50th Congress, next page is blank. March 9, 1888 the 50th Congress, 1st session, House of Representatives Report No. 380 ordered reprinted: Mr Lawler's report, a statement of facts by Col. Edmund D. Taylor, President Lincoln's letter showing signature verified with the notation [President], February 2, 1888 an affidavit from Theo F. Cook notarized by R. B. Nixion, Washington D.C., July 4, 1887 a letter with signatures and notably the President's son Robert Todd Lincoln, from the citizens of Chicago, Illinois titled 'Memorial':
Memorial
The signatures on the memorial, (researched by Joseph Scott Morris in 2010) are as follows: John V. Farwell, Robert Todd Lincoln, Henry F. Eames, Potter Palmer, W. R. Condiet, Marcus C. Stearns, William H. King, Lemuel C. P. Freer, J. Irving Pearee, John A. Rice, Augustus E. Walker, John Wentworth (Illinois), Andrew J. O'Conor, J. W. Rogers, James Goggin, John Roe, Alvan Lester Rose, Amos J. Snell, John C. Dore, George L. Dunlop, John Dean Caton, S. Corning Judd, Joseph W. Barker, Aaron Gibbs, John Burroughs Drake - John Drake (1826–1895), C. H. Castle, Frederick Haskell, Silas B. Cobb, Edward F. Pulsifer, H. H. Walker, Hamilton Bogart Dox, H. P. Hammond, John M. Welch, Marshall Field, B. P. Hutchinson, O. A. Bishop, Albert B. Pullman, J. D. Gillett, Edmund Lynch, Horace A. Hurlbut, Asa Dow, A. L. Patterson, James Frederick Joy, William Bross, Jos. Murphy, Philip Danforth Armour, Robert Williams, U.S.A., George W. Higgins, Joseph Medill, Lyman Trumbull, James Rood Doolittle (Wisconsin), Murry Nelson, H. L. Weaver (Indiana), D. W. Mitchell, Abner M. Wright, F. W. Hall. The legal document February 10, 1888, proved.
February 18, 1888 a signed letter from General John Alexander McClernand. [14][15]
Educational Institutions
1837, listed on the Board of Trustees for Rush Medical College [16]
1857, listed on the Founding Board of Trustees for The University of Chicago, later known as the Old University of Chicago.[17]
Notable graduates: Charles Richmond Henderson and Robert Todd Lincoln.
 The Old University of Chicago |
Military Service
July 20, 1827, Edmund enlisted as a private in Captain Bowling Green's Company for the Winnebago War and was honorably discharged August 27, in the same year.[18]
June 13, 1831, he was commissioned to the rank of Colonel during the Black Hawk War by Governor John Reynolds and Aide-de-camp for Brigadier General Joseph Duncan, for the Brigade of Mounted Volunteers, in service of the United States.[19] [20]
References
- ^ History of the early settlers of Sangamon County, Illinois: "centennial record". John Carroll Power, Sarah A. Power, 1876.
- ^ Blue book of the state of Illinois, pp. 527-528. Illinois Office of Secretary of State, 1919.
- ^ Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois, Volume 1, pp. 519-520. Newton Bateman, Paul Selby, Alexander McLean, 1907.
- ^ History of the early settlers of Sangamon County, Illinois, p. 707. Old Settlers' Society of Sangamon County (Ill.), 1876.
- ^ History of La Salle County, Illinois, p. 967. Urias John Hoffman, 1906.
- ^ Economical geology of Illinois, p. 231. Illinois State Geologist, 1882.
- ^ The Illinois farmer, Volume 8. p. 119. Bailhache & Baker, 1863.
- ^ Reminiscences of the early bench and bar of Illinois. pp. 60, 316. Usher F. Linder, 1879.
- ^ Yesterday and to-day:, p. 7. Chicago and North Western Railroad Company, 1905.
- ^ Railways locomotives and cars, Volume 6, p. 83. D. K. Minor, George C. Schaeffer, 1838.
- ^ History of Cook County, Illinois--. p. 279, Weston Arthur Goodspeed, Daniel David Healy, 1909.
- ^ Abraham Lincoln's pen and voice, p. 404. Abraham Lincoln, George Mandeville Van Buren, 1890.
- ^ Handy-Book of Literary Curiosities, p. 431. William Shepard Walsh, 1892.
- ^ United States Congressional Serial Set, Issue 2599, Volume 2. United States Government Printing Office, 1888.
- ^ United States Congressional Serial Set, Issue 2813, Volume 7. United States Government Printing Office, 1891.
- ^ Fergus' Historical Series, Issues 27-30, p. 12., H. W. Beckwith, R. Fergus, J. D. Kirby, J. A. Kinzie, 1914.
- ^ 15th Annual Catalogue, p.42. University of Chicago, 1874.
- ^ The Black Hawk War, 1831-1832: v. II, pp. 69, 70.
- ^ The Black Hawk War, 1831-1832: v. II, letters and papers; part I, April 30, 1831-June 23, 1832, p. 64.
- ^ The Black Hawk War, 1831-1832, pp. 54, 669.
